Avalanche

Wild’s Matt Cooke Gets 7-Game Suspension From NHL

Tyson Barrie #4 of the Colorado Avalanche clears the puck away from Matt Cooke #24 and Kyle Brodziak #21 of the Minnesota Wild in Game Two of the First Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Pepsi Center on April 19, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Cooke has been suspended for seven games by the NHL for a knee-to-knee hit that injured Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie.

Cooke was at the league office in New York on Wednesday for a hearing about the incident, and his punishment was announced about eight hours later.

The Avalanche lead 2-1 with Game 4 set for Thursday night, so Cooke will be out for the series and more. He played a key part in Game 3 for the Wild in quieting Avalanche stars Nathan MacKinnon, Paul Stastny and Gabe Landeskog.

Cooke was given a minor penalty for clipping Barrie, who will need four to six weeks to recover from a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee.